


At Least You Can Tell Me

by neferlemon



Series: Infinite Hurt/Comfort Series [4]
Category: Infinite (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-14 04:37:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7998865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neferlemon/pseuds/neferlemon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“And instead of calling me like a normal person, you follow me like a stalker.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	At Least You Can Tell Me

 

 

 

“OK, kids, that’s it for today. Good job!” Dongmin Hyung claps and soon the music stops. Murmur of relief fills the training room, followed by some ‘thuds’ of six bodies falling to the floor.

“That was intense, Hyung,” Sungyeol tells their instructor, his voice muffled from his position where he lay _face down_ on the floor.

“That was acceptable,” says Hoya, the only one who still stands beside Dongmin Hyung. Woohyun kicks his shin. “Don’t pretend to be cool, asshole!”

“What? Not my fault you are all so weak,” Hoya smirks. Woohyun is about to reply when Myungsoo’s loud whine of “FOOD!” intercepts him and soon they are discussing the menu for dinner.

“Whose turn is it to pay?” Sungjong asks.

“Sunggyu Hyung!” Dongwoo find himself exclaims.

“Samgyeopsal!” there are a chorus from Woohyun, Hoya, and Sungyeol.

“You’re all picking the expensive thing when it’s my turn to pay!” Sunggyu complains. “No samgyeopsal!”

“Samgyeopsal! Samgyeopsal! Samgyeopsal!” the three beagles’ cheers soon change into chant. Myungsoo, sees an opportunity to earn a meat dinner tonight, quickly joins. Sungjong just rolls his eyes as usual and Sunggyu tries to convince them other menu to no avail.

Dongwoo pats Sunggyu on the back. “You should accept defeat when you know it, Hyung,” he advises before joining the chant.

Sunggyu sighs and looks at them with a promised payback sometime later, but Dongwoo can see the fondness and amusement behind the scowl. Sunggyu is just playing his grumpy grandpa part, too fond of the kids not to give them what they want, yet too prideful to just admit it directly.

The chaos subsides a little when the door opens and Sunho Hyung peeks into the room.

“Sunggyu-yah, Sajangnim wants to see you,” he calls.

“Right now?” Sunggyu frowns.

“Yeah,” Sunho Hyung waits for him on the door.

“Ah, I hope he calls me tomorrow instead,” Sunggyu says regretfully, then he turns to the kids as he gives his card to Woohyun.

“You guys go first, I’ll catch you later. Don’t you dare order anything than samgyeopsal and drink!” Sunggyu threatens them as he follows Sunho Hyung.

 “Dongwoo, let’s go!” Woohyun calls. The boys are already at the hallway while Dongwoo is lost in thought.

“Coming!” he answers as he quickens his pace to catch up to the other boy.

The barbeque place is not far from Woollim, and because it’s already dark, the boys decide to just walk casually – without hat or mask. They are quite noisy, as usual, with the 91 line teasing Sungjong. It is in the middle of summer and the weather’s quite hot, so Myungsoo is also being his weirder self – clapping and laughing so loud Dongwoo can’t help but join.

As soon as both of they arrive at the barbeque place, Sungyeol shouts his order. “Ahjumma! Three serving of beef, please! And mandu on the house?”

“Bee f? Didn’t we agree on samgyeopsal?” Hoya asks.

“But beef is tastier,” Sungyeol says happily.

“And more expensive. Sunggyu Hyung will get so angry,” Sungjong warns.

“Yes, but when he found out half of the beef would already digested in our stomach so there’s nothing he can do,” Sungyeol grins, eyes sparkling and gum showing.

“He still can punish you, idiot,” Dongwoo hears Sungjong says but Sungyeol, shortsighted and reckless as always, refuses to hear him.

“It’s okay, I’ll defend you,” Woohyun assures Sungyeol, clearly sold on the gummy boy’s idea. And Myungsoo will say yes to anything Sungyeol does. When it’s not about music, religion, or life principle, Hoya is always a bystander who would go with the majority voice. And Sungjong, just like how a wise man is often treated, is outvoted.

If Sunggyu is there, the forces in their arguments are usually a little bit balanced, because Sunggyu is also rather wise, although sometimes when Woohyun or Sungyeol’s troublemaking idea is too outstandingly fun to ignore he yields.

Their beef comes not long after and soon they gobble them up like Woollim has been starving them for days. At this rate they’re going, there won’t be anything left when Sunggyu arrives.

“Yeol-ah, order one more beef,” he asks the younger boy who currently has a meat dangling from his meat.

“Oh, can we?” Sungyeol lights up.

“No, it’s for Sunggyu Hyung when he comes later,” Dongwoo answers.

“Speaking of which,” Myungsoo says with his mouth full, his cheeks bulging, “Hyung is late.”

He does, Dongwoo think. They’re on their third portion now and Sunggyu hasn’t even call or message them if he’s finished.

_Are you finished?_ He texts Sunggyu.

_I just finished, but I think I’ll go straight home instead. You make sure the kids behave._ Sunggyu replies.

Dongwoo frowns. Is something wrong? Does he get told off by the CEO?

He looks at the kids, eating happily with shiny lips from the meat. He doesn’t have the heart to stop them. Instead, he gets up.

“Where are you going, Hyung?” Sungjong asks.

“I’ll accompany Sunggyu Hyung in the office. You guys continue, okay? And if you finish, go straight home. No need to wait for me and Hyung,” Dongwoo answers.

“Are you sure?” Hoya asks.

“Of course,” he nods. He takes a step before turning back and whispers to Sungjong. “Jjong-ah, can you make sure they don’t overspend?”

Sungjong gives him a thumb up.

-

 

 

 

 

Dongwoo makes it just in time. When he arrives, he sees Sunggyu coming out of the building. There is no sight of their van and Sunho Hyung anywhere, so it seems like he wants to go home by foot. Their leader does that sometime, taking a walk at night. Dongwoo never know why but he supposes that is just another form of escapism for him.

Dongwoo’s intention at first is to accompany the eldest, being a presence that their leader can take comfort from, and talk to if he wants. But, seeing how distraught the leader’s expression is, he decides not to. Instead he just follows him walking.

Sunggyu doesn’t see him, or feel him. He just continues walking, his pace slow. With loose pants he used for training and an old sweater he put the hood ups, he looks ordinary from behind, unlike the strikingly beautiful self on the stage or solid reliability when he is being the leader.

It surprises Dongwoo how seldom he sees this side of the leader. He’s currently not being Sunggyu the idol, not even Sunggyu the leader. Just Sunggyu and it pains him how even in their dorm Sunggyu never shows weakness or other ordinary thing.

When he arrives in front of a minimarket, Sunggyu suddenly stops and plops himself on one of the chair. He sits there, motionless. Dongwoo can’t see what he’s looking for because the hoodie obscure his sight. Probably the street, or people passing by, or a falling leave from roadside tree.

He bits his lips. For a while he doesn’t know what to do.

But then he decides to approach him.

“Hyung,” he says. Sunggyu is surprised, he looks up to him with bewildered eyes.

“Dongwoo-yah. What are you doing?”

“You didn’t come to the dinner… so I want to accompany you.”

Sunggyu smiles.

“Thank you.”

“I can go if you want.”

“No, stay,” Sunggyu says, pulling another chair beside him.

“So, you actually followed me to here? From where?”

“From Woollim, I saw you leaving the building.”

“And instead of calling me like a normal person, you follow me like a stalker.”

Dongwoo blushes. “That’s not what I mean!”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Dongwoo hesitates. “You were… you were… well, you looked like you want to be alone.”

Sunggyu actually looks surprised. “Did I? Is that why you didn’t approach me until much later?”

Dongwoo nods. Sunggyu laughs, but the laugh sounds a tiny bit wrong.

“I do look like that, don’t I? Every time. Even the kids take a long time before they approach me, especially the younger ones….”

“It was a long time ago, Hyung. Nowadays I think you want them to stay away from you instead,” Dongwoo carefully says.

“They can be such idiots sometimes,” Sunggyu says fondly.

“Did CEO give you some bad news, Hyung? You look distraught,” Dongwoo tries to probe. Sunggyu’s smile falters a little.

“Ah, nothing like that. I’m just feeling sentimental in the night.”

Dongwoo looks at his leader sadly. It’s been like this for years. Member asking Sunggyu what’s wrong but he never answer. He doesn’t want to bother the other members.

“Hyung, I’m okay if you want to share it with me,” Dongwoo says finally.

Sunggyu doesn’t answer.

“If you have a problem, share it with us. You’re our leader, but it doesn’t mean you have to bear the burden alone. You always nag us for the little thing, but you always handle the hard thing alone. Share the burden with us,” Dongwoo continues.

“I don’t want to saddle you all with my concern, Dongwoo-yah. It’s my responsibility as a leader,” Sunggyu says. “I can’t whine or complain to you all the time. What kind of leader I am if I do that? The kids will lose their respect. They won’t listen to me anymore, even for a little thing.”

“They already kind of don’t listen to you anymore, Hyung,” Dongwoo teases. “But believe me, they may not listen to you for the little thing, but they will for the important thing.”

“Dongwoo-yah.”

“If you can’t tell them, at least you can tell me,” Dongwoo asks. “I’m the second oldest, you can trust me.”

Sunggyu hesitates, “Are you sure?”

Dongwoo gets up and pulls Sunggyu into his embrace. Sunggyu doesn’t resist. Not at all. He melts into Dongwoo’s arm. And if the passerby notices two idols embracing each other in the middle of the pave walk, Dongwoo doesn’t care.

 

 

 

-

When they arrived at the dorm, it’s already dark and quiet. But, there’s a box of barbeque in the dining table, along with Sunggyu’s card and a post it.

_We’re sorry you can’t join us at dinner, Hyung!_

_We’re not sorry we order beef!_

Sunggyu grumbles but he’s smiling too, so Dongwoo opens the box and takes a seat at the dining room.

“So, why don’t you start talking, Hyung?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m just taking some beer,” the leader replies.

 Dongwoo smiles.

For now, Sunggyu may need help from alcohol to share his concern, but it’s a start. So, it’s okay.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the hardest out of the seven stories I made. I just don't know what Sunggyu's possible weakness is. He always look very composed and strong, for me.


End file.
